Restructuring the American Federal Government

Modern democracy is failing, demographics are under represented, political ideologies are at war and our government is completely incompetent. We need a change, and not just one that fits nicely in a campaign slogan.

1 president being the face of a nation filled with a 370 million citizens consisting of the most diverse group of people in the world is no longer appropriate. And it hasn’t been for quite some time....perhaps since WWII.

The “Office of the President of the United States” is no longer the power it used to be. Just look around and see how well the democrats are undermining Trumps authority at every turn. The House of Representatives and the Senate are broken. They don’t represent the people, they represent corporate interests and use ideology as their front.

And the people here in America are lost in that ideological stew that’s been left on the counter to rot. We are the biggest losers in all of it. Something must be done. I know it probably won’t happen in my lifetime, but one can hope.

So what’s the solution Assassin82? Ya can’t just come on here and say what we all already know or refuse to admit is wrong with America without offering a solution? Don’t worry, I got ya covered!

Let’s look at Switzerland. If you’ve ever been to Switzerland, you’ll find it to be one of the most beautiful places in the world. In my experience traveling through Switzerland, I found the people to be some of the nicest and most relaxed people. In the middle of Europe and all its woes, they remain a neutral entity that seems to serve its own people first and foremost.

While the entire council is responsible for leading the federal administration of Switzerland, each Councillor heads one of the seven federal executive departments. The position of Federal President rotates among the seven Councillors on a yearly basis, with one year's Vice President becoming the next year's President.

Wiki

For 170 years, this governing style has worked in Switzerland. Why not here in the US?

Let’s just mimic their approach, but modify it to an American perspective. This is just a guess, but here it goes:

1. Economic Councilor
2. Foreign Affairs Councilor (Secretary of State)
3. Security Councilor (Pentagon, Homeland Security)
4. Technology & Space Councilor (Elon Musk anyone?)
5. Social Affairs Councilor (Education, welfare, etc)
6. Treasury Councilor
7. Intelligence Councilor (FBI, CIA, NSA)

America is much larger than Switzerland, so I would actually consider adding a couple different positions.

8. Oversight Councilor (Fraud, corruption, etc.)
9. Legal Councilor

Is this the best 9 representations of American interests? Maybe not, they’re just ones that I think would work...doesn’t mean it’s perfect. I chose to use “Councilor” in this scenario because I would want to get away from words associated with corporate structure or words that represent overall authority. Each member would carry the same weight as the other.

They would be voted into these positions by the people. Ideally, they would be experts from their field, but that’s up to the American people to decide. The HoR would still exist to represent the people at the local level, as would the Senate. But here’s where I would shake things up...

There can be no more than 3 federal councilors of the same party. This way, you can’t stack the deck with Dems or Reps. You might get some parties that say their something else but act in the interests of the other party, but I’d like to think it would at least give a more diverse voice to be heard at the federal level. Hopefully the oversight Councilor can prevent third parties from working with other parties in the shadows.

I don’t like the councilors rotating as the presiding official. Here in the US, it would make it far too corruptible for a rotational power. Perhaps the body of 9 vote amongst themselves to assign international representation of various matters. “We nominate Councilor C to represent us in diplomatic efforts with China regarding ...”.

I’d also like to see a total of 3 US capitals instead of just 1. Of DC wants to remain our primary capital, that’s fine, but keeping these 9 governing bodies in one place isn’t a good idea. As they say, all your eggs in one hat...or something like that.

Perhaps a western capital in the Silicon Valley, and another in The central states like Kansas City or Denver. Wherever. Each capital houses 3 Councilors and those counselors could rotate every couple of years from capital to capital in an “attempt” to prevent fraud and corruption.

Anyway...one person representing the totality of American interests is a failed system. We need a real change. Could something like this work?? You tell me.

We have this thing called a constitution.

We should follow that instead.

Yeah, that’s not working out anymore.

I’m not saying the constitution itself is bad or failing, it’s the people it governs who are failing and the people who “enforce” it who are failing.

We can keep the constitution and modify it to fit this change in government. Everything else within it can stay.

originally posted by: Assassin82
The “Office of the President of the United States” is no longer the power it used to be.

The Office of the President has significantly more power now than it did when the nation was founded and is far outside the scope the Founders envisioned. Each President progressively accumulates and consolidates more power into the position, it actually needs to be weaker.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: Assassin82
The “Office of the President of the United States” is no longer the power it used to be.

The Office of the President has significantly more power now than it did when the nation was founded and is far outside the scope the Founders envisioned. Each President progressively accumulates and consolidates more power into the position, it actually needs to be weaker.

Correct. My point was that it doesn’t carry the same prestige it once did. And it is far too powerful for one person to handle.

Additionally, now that the media can be used as a tool to undermine that one person, along with all the other failures within our government...it’s not a one man job anymore.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

Each President progressively accumulates and consolidates more power into the position, it actually needs to be weaker.

Agreed.

It doesn't matter what President or which party, the executive branch has a disproportionate amount of authority.

In some cases that are unique to modern day circumstance, I can see the increased authority within the executive branch being useful, but on the whole, it needs to be dialed back a bit.

a reply to: Assassin82

Yeah, that’s not working out anymore.

hahahahaha

wow
"not working out"?????

it is working wonderfully

a reply to: Assassin82


Your Original Post and this post are contradictory.

a reply to: Assassin82

You need to actually read the constitution to know why your statements make no sense.

I'll be back when you have demonstrated that you have actually read the document.

originally posted by: projectvxn
We have this thing called a constitution.

We should follow that instead.

I agree we should follow it, but we have been trending away from it, which needs to change.

a reply to: Assassin82

Hello A82,

First of all, America is a Constitutional Republic. Most of our elected officials these days don't or won't read and study it.
Second, both the House and Senate's checks and balances were tossed out the window.

I yearn for the old days when prestigious older Gentlemen in the House and Senate would beat the crap out of each other with their canes or something. Then they would duel each other to the death...

Switzerland? Yeah all that diversity there and those illegals clamoring over each other crossing the border!

I'm sure they have 1 tenth of the problems America has. If only we had the Swiss crossing our borders. Very smart and mostly peaceful people.

a reply to: Assassin82

Yea, its not working anymore because too many end runs around it have warped the US system. The US system was built on the idea of limited government and States rights. Any power not exclusively laid out to the Federal Govt was to remain with the States. But, since the 1950's the Supreme Court has been steadily eroding States rights and giving more power to the Feds. Its a disaster.

What you lay out is a disaster for the US as well because it would bloat the size and scope of the Feds enormously. It may work in Switzerland, but it just expand incompetence in the US. Compared to the US, Switzerland is far more civilized and its total population is far better educated.

The solution is to drastically downsize the reach and the scope of the Feds powers and authorities and to return that power to the States where the government is much closer to the people who can keep a much better eye on the necessarily corrupt and stupid politicians.

originally posted by: TonyS
a reply to: Assassin82

Yea, its not working anymore because too many end runs around it have warped the US system. The US system was built on the idea of limited government and States rights. Any power not exclusively laid out to the Federal Govt was to remain with the States. But, since the 1950's the Supreme Court has been steadily eroding States rights and giving more power to the Feds. Its a disaster.

What you lay out is a disaster for the US as well because it would bloat the size and scope of the Feds enormously. It may work in Switzerland, but it just expand incompetence in the US. Compared to the US, Switzerland is far more civilized and its total population is far better educated.

The solution is to drastically downsize the reach and the scope of the Feds powers and authorities and to return that power to the States where the government is much closer to the people who can keep a much better eye on the necessarily corrupt and stupid politicians.

No. The solution is not to get rid of the government. The solution is to get government to beat back the corporations and special interests that have passed laws destroying all the free-markets and replaced it with corporate communism. We a communistic government in this country. It's just it's not the kind of communism that is in the worker's favor.

a reply to: Assassin82

The constitution has been reduced to a list of suggestions rather than a guide to running the government.

As institutional norms continue to be eroded — and I think the problem extends beyond the Trump doctrine to his appointees — the ideas expressed in the constitution become unenforceable.

The original copies are fading — a picture of liberty replaced by a handwritten Dorian Gray.

originally posted by: dfnj2015

originally posted by: TonyS
a reply to: Assassin82

Yea, its not working anymore because too many end runs around it have warped the US system. The US system was built on the idea of limited government and States rights. Any power not exclusively laid out to the Federal Govt was to remain with the States. But, since the 1950's the Supreme Court has been steadily eroding States rights and giving more power to the Feds. Its a disaster.

What you lay out is a disaster for the US as well because it would bloat the size and scope of the Feds enormously. It may work in Switzerland, but it just expand incompetence in the US. Compared to the US, Switzerland is far more civilized and its total population is far better educated.

The solution is to drastically downsize the reach and the scope of the Feds powers and authorities and to return that power to the States where the government is much closer to the people who can keep a much better eye on the necessarily corrupt and stupid politicians.

No. The solution is not to get rid of the government. The solution is to get government to beat back the corporations and special interests that have passed laws destroying all the free-markets and replaced it with corporate communism. We a communistic government in this country. It's just it's not the kind of communism that is in the worker's favor.

A smaller government is less corruptible and susceptible to influence. If corporations / lobbyist are infuencing government, why would you continue to advocate for government with even more power?

The federal government is supposed to be small with state governments acting as laboratories for most policies. The states have ceded too much of their rights to the feds.

a reply to: Assassin82 I really don't think there's anything wrong with our "system" that immediate removal of "career politicians" and mandatory term limits can't resolve. In fact, I wouldn't be against a selective service style draft to fill Congress seats. It damned well couldn't be worse that what we have now.

The only way to restructure the US government is with a giant meteor or zombie plague

Whenever I hear this kind of talk, I just say "You're probably right but there really isn't anything that can be done about it".

I have not seen one government anywhere in the world that I would really prefer to this one. Which isn't to say I like this one. It's more to say that I think the entire idea of government is the biggest part of the problem. Which doesn't really have a solution.

Here’s what I propose:

How about we run our government on and online open source program that anyone can view how it works. This way, the voting, how people get elected, *how things operate*, how money is spent, how laws, propositions, agendas, etc.go into effect can be transparent for all people to see and view. This wizard behind the curtain stuff is not working. For us anyway.. Candidates can post their resumes and bio’s and people can vote on them.